Archive for September, 2007
Bond and Trust – The Human–Dog relation basis
The basics on building a trustworthy relation to your Puppy
Dog training is particularly based on a functional communication between the human being and his dog.
The tie between you and your dog isn’t there right from the beginning, but has to be developed with lot of love, devotion and consistency. The Puppy, having stayed with his mother till now, needs to receive this love, protection, contact and rules from you from now on, and of course his basic needs, like feeding, playing, sleeping and cuddling need to be satisfied.
The Puppy still needs to learn a lot, and gain experience every single day. Doing so he will of course face situations that might be scary or disturbing and this is exactly the point where the Puppy needs to trust in you. Together the two of you will face those troubles, find irritating objects and situations, and the trust that is built in those moments will strengthen the bonds between you and your dog a little more every day.
A good relation will further on be the cornerstone of your education, as the dog will only be following your wish if he feels motivated by you and has developed those bonds.
Now how can these ties be developed?
The Puppy’s phases of development
Phases of development
The Puppy passes through several stages of development after birth.
Vegetative phase (1. and 2. week)
In this early stage eyes and ears are still closed, and the sense of smell is poorly developed.
Transition period (3. week)
Now the palpebral fissure and outer acoustic meatus open up, still the Puppy is not able to see. Vision is not developed before the 17th or 18th week. The same applies for the sense of hearing. Did the Puppy so far solely sleep and drink, he’ll now be able to notice his siblings and adjacencies.
Filial Imprinting (4 - 7. week)
Eyes, nose and ears are fully developed. In this period the Puppy ideally becomes acquainted with various impressions like humans, noises or visual impressions. He consciously notices his environment und gets to know his social partners. While playing with his little brothers and sisters he will learn to find his position in the hierarchy and to test himself and the others. This is the period where personality and temper are stamped. Is a Puppy in this period kept isolated and without social contacts, it is very likely that there will be major problems with the dog’s socialization.
Puppy Potty Training
Potty Training
The first thing you want to do when a new puppy arrives to your home is to start the potty training. Potty training can be the most challenging and rewarding part of all puppy-training exercises. Potty training your new family member can be very frustrating at times, but can provide a lifetime of rewards. Being consistent while potty training will help your puppy develop a positive behavior.
The biggest challenge when potty training your puppy is to recognize your puppy’s signals when it needs to go potty. When most people first bring home their new puppy they focus on the love & enjoyment their puppy will bring, but without effective potty training this novelty wears off and soon leads to other related problems. The time spent potty training your puppy will be well worth it, both for you and your dog. When potty training, keep in mind that puppies, like humans, tend to flourish when phrased and are rewarded for their efforts.
Crate Training
Crate training your dog
Crate training a dog can be one of the most beneficial aspects of successful instruction. Crate training not only helps ease your mind when you are away from home, but it is also of assistance in potty training.
A crate for your dog will become his sanctuary. Whether or not you chose this as a home for him when you are gone or as a bed at night, it is important to make the crate experience a positive one. The crate should become a comfort zone, and should be used consistently when leaving or sleeping. Crating your pup when you leave home will put your mind at ease knowing that he will not be chewing or soiling the rest of your home. It is also comforting to know that your dog feels safe and relaxed until you can return.
Dogs need different diets at different ages
Feeding your Dog
Dogs need different diets at different ages. Yes. This is true. For example, the puppy needs milk as the major food item while an adult dog may need beef or chicken in addition to the boiled egg and milk. So depending on the age factor, the diet schedule varies in reality for the dogs like any other species.
Puppies need greater amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates than an adult dogs. Furthermore, puppies need more frequent feeding schedules in a day, unlike an adult dog. The movement based requirements of diet are more in the case of puppies, since they are often more active than the adult dogs.
